


Reconnaissance in Snapbacks and Flat Caps

by MapacheLuna



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gift Fic, M/M, Tie-in with Nightmares Don't Have Anything on Alien Invaders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 04:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5319923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MapacheLuna/pseuds/MapacheLuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Koutarou's world crashes down around him when he finds out that his best friend has been dating Iwaizumi for who-knows-how-long (Oikawa and Kuroo say six months). </p><p>Why didn't Akaashi tell him? Was Iwaizumi even worthy of dating his awesome best friend? Koutarou -and his unwilling partner-in-crime- were about to find out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reconnaissance in Snapbacks and Flat Caps

**Author's Note:**

  * For [downmoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/downmoon/gifts).



> This is a gift fic for the lovely downmoon, because they're amazing and way too kind to me~ The prompt they chose was Bokuto finding out about Iwaaka being a thing, and then going into "over-protective best friend mode" in his quest to try to figure out if Iwaizumi was good enough for Akaashi. (Obviously, Oikuro happened too because I'm weak.)
> 
> This technically takes place right after "Nightmares Have Nothing on Alien Invaders," but you really don't need to read it to get this one.

Koutarou knew that sometimes, things got past him without his noticing. Like that time that Konoha had lost that bet to Komi and a week had gone by before he’d noticed that he’d dyed his hair pink. Or the time that his mom had gotten a pixie cut, and it’d taken his little sister pointing it out for him to realize that something _was_ different, and it wasn’t just that his mom had suddenly gained weight on her face. She had been pretty upset when he told her that, actually.

But there were some things that he’d never thought he’d have to figure out for himself. Things like…

“KUROO!” Koutarou slammed the door to Kuroo’s room wide open. “Did you know-, woah!”

Kuroo cursed, flailing off the bed when Oikawa jerked up into a sitting position, kneeing him in the side pretty hard, from the wheeze he let out on his way down.

“Oh, my bad.” Koutarou craned his head, trying to see over Oikawa’s scandalized attempts to cover his bare legs with what he was pretty sure was the shirt Kuroo had been wearing earlier. “You alright, bro?”

“Bokuto,” Kuroo groaned, clawing his way over the edge, and yup, that had been his shirt alright. “We’ve talked about this. Knocking before coming in?”

“How was I supposed to know you’d be naked?” Bokuto protested, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. “We literally just had lunch; I saw you guys five minutes ago!”

“We’re not naked,” Kuroo sighed, standing up to reveal that he at least was still wearing his jeans, albeit unbuttoned.

“Yet, anyway,” Oikawa muttered under his breath before turning a very strained smile towards him. “What’s wrong, Bo-kun?”

“Oh yeah!” Koutarou brightened up before stealing his expression. “I think Akaashi’s dating Iwaizumi!” His revelation was met with equally unmoved stares.

“And?” Kuroo prompted after a beat, Oikawa rolling his hand at him impatiently.

“What do you mean _‘and’_? Did you guys already know?!” Koutarou gaped at them. “And you didn’t tell me?!”

“I didn’t know it was a secret,” Kuroo glanced over at Oikawa, who just shrugged at him. “They’ve been going out on dates for a few months now, bro.”

“What did you think they were doing whenever Iwa-chan and I are in town?” Oikawa raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at him. “They leave together and come back together every time.”

“I dunno, I thought Akaashi was giving him a tour of Tokyo or something!”

“For six months?” It was Kuroo’s turn to quirk an eyebrow at him. “Iwaizumi’s not Sawamura; he doesn’t get lost walking around the corner here.”

“That’s not the point!” Koutarou exclaimed. “The point is, why did they tell you guys and not me?”

“They didn’t.” Kuroo and Oikawa replied, perfectly in sync.

“How do you guys do that?” Koutarou muttered, before barreling on. “So how do you know?”

“It’s pretty obvious,” Oikawa said, crossing his legs underneath his makeshift skirt. “Plus, Iwa-chan hasn’t been able to keep anything a secret from me since we were four.” He made a thoughtful noise. “I actually don’t know if he’s ever tried to hide anything from me.”

“That’s because you’re scarily competent, babe,” Kuroo commented absently, dropping a kiss on his upturned cheek as he made his way around the bed. “There’s really no point in trying around you.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere~” Oikawa trilled cheerfully.

“That settles it!” Koutarou interrupted loudly. “There’s only one thing left for me to do now!”

“I don’t like the way that sounds,” Kuroo started slowly.

Koutarou slammed a fist into his open hand, eyes gleaming with determination. “I have to make sure that Iwaizumi is worthy of Akaashi!” He thrust a finger at the half-dressed couple in front of him. “And you two are going to help me!”

“Nailed it,” Oikawa sighed softly, patting Kuroo on the back as he groaned.

* * *

 

“Bro, what are we doing?” Kuroo sighed, sighing even louder when Koutarou shushed him.

“We’re making sure that Iwaizumi is good enough for Akaashi; I told you that already!”

“Okay,” Kuroo started slowly, “And how is ducking behind every mailbox we come across doing that?”

Koutarou glared up at him. “So they can’t see us.”

“Right.” Kuroo nodded, casting a lazy glance around their mailbox. “Bokuto, you know they left _before_ we had lunch, right? That was,” He looked at his phone, “About forty-five minutes ago, or something. I don’t think they’re hanging out on our block.”

Koutarou popped up, crossing his arms with a pout. “Alright, Kuroo, where are they then?”

“Easy,” Kuroo said. “The mall. Specifically,” He consulted his phone again, “The food court.”

Koutarou could only blink as Kuroo straightened up, absently brushing off his knees. “What?”

Kuroo brandished his phone. “Tooru asked Iwaizumi. If we hurry, we can probably get there before they finish eating.”

“Smart,” Koutarou mused. “Why didn’t Oikawa come with us again?”

“He told me Iwaizumi could always tell when he was up to something, so he’d give us away,” Kuroo tapped something out on his phone before slipping it into his pocket. “He said that he’d just house-sit with Kenma until we got back.”

“Huh,” Koutarou started down the street, Kuroo falling into step next to him. “Wish he’d come though.”

“Yeah,” Kuroo rolled his eyes. “Me too.”

* * *

 

“Okay, there they are!” Koutarou ducked behind a pillar, dragging Kuroo with him. He peeked around it, distantly aware of Kuroo pushing his hair down to see over it. “Now what?”

“What do you mean, ‘now what’?” Kuroo hissed. “This was your idea!”

“I’m making this up as I go, okay?” Koutarou snapped, narrowing his eyes over where he could just see them coming to a halt in front of a tiny store. “Did he just manhandle Akaashi?”

“Pretty sure he just tugged on his hand,” Kuroo said mildly. “Oh, Tooru said we should have worn hats; said our hairs’ gonna give us away, wow, rude,” He trailed off, presumably texting back.

“Kuroo, focus!” Koutarou jabbed an elbow back, listening with satisfaction to the grunt he got in response. “Your eyes are better than mine, what are they doing?”

“Uh,” Kuroo pushed further down on his head, leaning forward a bit. “Looks like Iwaizumi’s pointing at something, Akaashi’s shaking his head, Iwaizumi’s insisting, Akaashi has that look on his face that he gets when he’s humoring you, and now they’re going inside.” He drummed a beat onto his head. “Wanna follow them?”

“You read my mind.”

* * *

 

“Iwaizumi didn’t strike me as the ‘homemade crafts’ type,” Kuroo commented, rifling through the hat display that Koutarou was using to hide behind. “I always imagined him as the, ‘hunt and mount’ type.”

“What does that even mean?” Koutarou grunted, pushing a row of beanies to the side so he could peer through the hole. “Have they moved yet?”

“Nah, they’re still hanging out near the yarn,” Kuroo responded, eyeballing the two snapbacks in his hands critically. “And Tooru told me that he used to hunt bugs when they were younger.”

“That’s gross,” Koutarou jerked his head around. “Akaashi doesn’t like bugs.”

“I didn’t say he still did it _now_ ,” Kuroo spun the black hat around his finger before slipping it on backwards, ruffling his bangs where they poked out of the band. “And you’re just saying that because Akaashi got pissed at you that one time with the firefly. How do I look?”

“You look great, bro,” Koutarou answered impatiently. “And that wasn’t my fault; he was the one who squished its butt guts all over the place when he slapped it.”

“You’re the one who shoved it in his face,” Kuroo snapped a picture of himself grinning suavely, bringing his phone down to type something quickly. “I don’t think anybody would be okay with that.”

“That’s not the point though!” Koutarou raised a finger in the air. “The point is Akaashi won’t like it if he tries to give him a bug!”

“But he’s not trying to give him a bug, he’s trying to give him...a really nice scarf?” Kuroo joined him at his lookout spot, peering through the hole he’d made. “Good taste.”

Koutarou snapped around to look, and sure enough, Iwaizumi was wrapping a really soft-looking grey scarf around Akaashi’s neck, one that shimmered with black undertones when Akaashi half-heartedly tried to move away. “Why is he trying to force him? He’s saying no!”

“Dude, Akaashi totally digs that scarf,” Kuroo poked him in the temple. “He’s smiling.”

Koutarou could _maybe_ admit that Akaashi’s _sort of_ looked like he was quirking his lips, a little, but that could have easily been the lighting. “I don’t see it.”

“Sure you don’t,” Kuroo snorted, slapped a trinity cap onto his head. “Here, I got our disguises. Let’s go pay before they do.”

* * *

 

“Remind me again why we’re hanging out _outside_ of the candy shop instead of going inside?” Kuroo asked, leaning against another of the strategically placed pillars that Koutarou was using to peer around.

“Because,” Koutarou told him, “That shop’s tiny and they’ll definitely see us.” He pushed the brim of his hat up a bit, squinting as the dark-haired forms of Akaashi and Iwaizumi wandered around the different display counters inside, pausing to sample something every few steps, noticeable even among the crowd of people inside thanks to Akaashi’s new scarf. “What is he up to now?”

“Probably wants to buy some sweets, since, you know, it’s a _candy shop_ ,” Kuroo sighed -he’d been doing that a lot lately,- hooking his chin over Koutarou’s shoulder. “What’s Akaashi’s favorite again?”

Koutarou rolled his eyes up, sticking his tongue out in thought. “I don’t know if he has a preference; Akaashi kinda eats everything.” He watched as Iwaizumi followed the way that Akaashi went back for seconds of whatever the second counter was offering. “A lot of everything.”

“I believe that,” Kuroo nodded slightly, his chin digging into Koutarou’s clavicle with the movement. “If Iwaizumi can still look at Akaashi with those sappy eyes even when he’s stuffing his face like that, then he’s probably not going anywhere.”

Koutarou scoffed. “Akaashi’s not that bad! Even if he’ll steal your bento when you’re not looking,” he mumbled under his breathe, tracking the way that Iwaizumi doubled back to the second counter, holding two fingers up to the person standing there.

“Right,” Kuroo snorted, straightening up from his slouch. “What now?”

“Hold on,” Koutarou watched as the counter person offered Iwaizumi two neatly wrapped boxes in exchange for some money, before he made his way back over the where Akaashi had been standing, a little lost looking, near the entrance. He watched the surprise bloom across Akaashi’s face when Iwaizumi presented the boxes to him, and even with the distance, he couldn’t deny that there was _definitely_ a smile spreading across Akaashi’s lips. “Okay, point for him, Akaashi really liked whatever that was.”

“What a surprise, he only ate like six,” Kuroo rolled his eyes.

They watched Iwaizumi and Akaashi wander away from the store, pausing at nearly every storefront on their walk to peer in, nudging each other gently and pointing things out. They looked really comfortable with each other, Koutarou realized. When had that happened without his noticing?

“Can we go in now?” Kuroo asked after a beat. “I promised Tooru I’d bring him back something.” He coughed forcefully. “Kenma really likes the chocolate dipped strawberries from here, too.”

Koutarou blinked back at him. “Really?”

Kuroo nodded slowly. “Yup. He doesn’t get to have them that often since they’re kinda pricey, so he _really_ appreciates it when he gets them.”

“So, uh,” Koutarou looked back at where Akaashi and Iwaizumi were hovering outside an electronics store, aptly watching whatever was on the screen, before sliding his gaze back to the shop in front of them. “Do you think he’d like it if I bought him some, or something?”

“Bro,” Kuroo slung an arm around his shoulders, steering him towards the brightly lit boutique. “I think he’d _love_ it.”

* * *

“How could we lose them?” Koutarou flapped his arms at the empty space in front of the electronics store. “They were _right here_!” He snapped his head around, searching through the milling crowd for spiky black hair or that shimmery scarf. “We weren’t even in there for five minutes!”

“Calm down, they probably just stepped into one of the stores,” Kuroo barely glanced up from his phone. “Kenma wants us to pick him up his new game while we’re here,” He jerked his head at the game store in front of them.

“We’re in the middle of a mission here!” Koutarou pouted, but started towards the store anyway. “Only cause its Kenma though.”

“Thought you might say that,” Kuroo laughed, following him inside and making a beeline for the counter, flashing the worker a smile when her eyes lit up with recognition. “Hey, Kira-chan. Is Kenma’s game in yet?” He offered her another smile when she nodded and headed towards the back, turning back to Koutarou with an easy smile. “If they’re not roaming around when we get out of here, I’ll ask Tooru to interrogate Iwaizumi again.”

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re not taking this seriously?” Koutarou’s pout deepened as he crossed his arms in the wake of Kuroo’s shrug.

“Probably because I don’t think Iwaizumi’s a serial killer trying to lure Akaashi into a false sense of security?” He continued over Koutarou’s sputtering, “When did you finally realize it, though? That they were dating?”

“This morning,” Koutarou muttered, looking away from Kuroo’s incredulous look. “I saw Iwaizumi grab Akaashi’s hand when they left, and Akaashi didn’t pull away.”

“Really,” Kuroo asked dryly. “So it wasn’t the fact that they volunteered to sleep together on the futon, alone, out in the living room? Or that we found them cuddling together when we got up?”

“I thought Akaashi was just being friendly!”

“Since when is Akaashi _that_ friendly?” Kuroo accepted the bag that Kira-chan offered him with a thanks before tilting his head towards the door at Koutarou. “I’ve seen Akaashi kick people in his sleep when they get too close to his futon at training camps. Pretty sure I’ve heard him kick you out of the bed when he’s slept over too.”

“Only sometimes,” Koutarou grumbled. “Look, I don’t have anything against Iwaizumi or anything, he’s pretty cool, but I just want to make sure he’s going to treat Akaashi the way he deserves to be treated, alright? He’s my best friend, no offense,” He added quickly, slapping Kuroo on the back. “You know you’re my bro for life.”

“None taken,” Kuroo swung an arm around his neck, smacking a sloppy kiss onto his cheek. “I know there’s enough space in that big heart of yours for me.”

“Ew, stop that, I don’t know where your mouth’s been!”

“Nowhere fun, thanks to you!”

* * *

 

They had made their way all across the floor to the area with all the little kiosks before almost literally running into Akaashi and Iwaizumi again. Luckily, Kuroo recognized them in time and yanked Koutarou out of the way, tossing themselves onto one of the benches near the little coffee stall to their right.

“Well, that was close,” Kuroo let out a harassed sigh, tugging his snapback a little more firmly over his hair. “I have too much to live for to have my life end that quickly.”

“Why?” Koutarou spun around in his seat, pulling one of the decorative potted, fern-tree-things that littered the mall closer, and peeking through its leaves. “He has a quick temper, right? Is he dangerous?”

“Are we really doing this again?” Kuroo huffed. “And I’d be more worried about Akaashi ripping out my spine than anything Iwaizumi could do.”

“You’ll be fine,” Koutarou dismissed with a wave over his shoulder, concentrating on the way that Iwaizumi seemed to be leading them to a very specific kiosk not too far from where they were sitting. “Akaashi’s not that bad.”

“Tell that to my ‘future grieving widow,’” Kuroo mumbled, the telltale sound of his fingers tapping away on his phone filling the air. “He keeps telling me not to underestimate the power of a setter, and I’m not gonna lie, he’s starting to scare me.”

“Sh!” Koutarou hissed, shoving a hand into Kuroo’s face. “I think I can hear them!”

“That one,” Iwaizumi was saying, pointing at something hanging from the old man’s kiosk. “What do you think?”

“I think you’ve already spent too much money, Iwaizumi-san,” Akaashi scolded him, but the softness of his tone wasn’t lost to Koutarou, and apparently neither was it to Iwaizumi, because he just flashed him a smirk and nodded at the old man, handing him some money with the hand he didn’t have firmly clasped around Akaashi’s. “The one with the owl feathers, please.”

“Iwaizumi-san,” Akaashi started with a sigh.

“I told you already, just Hajime,” Iwaizumi interrupted him, receiving the round, feathery thing from the seller with a quiet thanks. He turned back to Akaashi, the crooked smile cutting across his face making him look annoyingly handsome. “Here,” He slipped the looped piece of string hanging from the main body of the thing around Akaashi’s head, broad fingers -a spiker’s fingers- maneuvering it with a lot more care than Koutarou would have given him credit for around the scarf still wound around his neck. “I think this should help with those nightmares.” Nightmares? “Or at least,” Iwaizumi kept his eyes firmly on the circles between his fingers, but Koutarou could see the hints of red starting to flush his ears, “Remind you that you can always wake me up when you have them. I’ll always be willing to listen.”

“Will you fight them for me too?” Akaashi teased, the pink creeping onto his own cheeks bright under the mall’s fluorescent lights. “Because as I recall, there was a promise of storming closets and fighting for my honor made last night.”

“Hey,” Iwaizumi grunted, “I told you that in confidence, you know.” He brought Akaashi’s hand up to his lips, pressing a firm kiss onto his knuckles. “But yeah, I’ll fight them for you.”

Koutarou had seen enough.

“Kuroo,” He started solemnly. “I’m going to challenge Iwaizumi to a duel.”

“What?” Kuroo finally batted his hand out of his face. “What part of, ‘too much too live for’ didn’t you get?”

“This is serious!”

“So is my beautiful, and very flexible, boyfriend, whose best friend _that_ is!” Kuroo pointed at Iwaizumi through the leaves. “When my choices are either die or get laid, guess which one I’m going to pick?”

“He’s saying stuff about fighting for Akaashi’s honor!” Koutarou protested hotly, clamoring over his seat. “I have to make sure he’s willing to put his money where his mouth is!”

“When did this become medieval Europe?” Kuroo asked the heavens with a sigh, but Koutarou had already stumbled through the fern-thing, and was making his way towards where Akaashi and Iwaizumi were standing with their heads way too close.

“Hey!” He watched the confusion bleed into slow recognition on both of their faces with a little too much satisfaction as he got closer. “Iwaizumi!”

“Bokuto-san?” Akaashi blinked rapidly as Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him with his hair down.”

“I tried to stop him,” Kuroo called out, jogging over with their bags hanging around his wrist.

“ _Kuroo-san?_ ”

“Is this why Oikawa kept asking me where I was all day?” Iwaizumi’s expression twisted into something stormier. “I thought he was being way too nosy, even for him.”

“I would just like it to go on record that my last words were, ‘I love you Tooru, and you were right; I definitely regret leaving you all alone in bed today.’”

“I’m challenging you to a duel!” Koutarou yelled over them, pointing a finger at Iwaizumi with flourish.

 _“A duel? Is this some sort of publicity stunt for that new Yugioh movie?”_ He heard someone mutter nearby, but his attention was solely focused on the way Iwaizumi was squaring his shoulders and meeting his stare head-on.

“What are the terms?”

“You can’t be serious,” Akaashi muttered, slapping a hand over his eyes.

“Uh,” Koutarou glanced around, taking in the curious onlookers, the kiosks, the extreme lack of volleyballs and nets, and finally, the seating area that he and Kuroo had just vacated. “Arm wrestling!” He should have maybe felt some apprehension at the triumphant look that entered Iwaizumi’s eyes just then, but he hadn’t become one of the top five spikers in Japan by backing down from a challenging look.

“Deal!”

“Oh, this is going to be good,” Kuroo whipped out his phone, a soft beeping letting them know that he’d turned on the video camera. “The world’s gonna want to see this.”

* * *

 

“Alright,” Koutarou announced, flexing his fingers around Iwaizumi’s, gold eyes never straying from the green ones in front of him. “Akaashi, count us in.”

“I’m not taking any part in this.” Akaashi snorted softly, crossing his arms with a slight frown.

“I’ll do it,” Kuroo called, eyes never leaving the screen of his phone as he lifted a hand over his head. “Five!”

“Last chance to back out, Bokuto,” Iwaizumi told him with a tight smile. “I won’t say anything if you don’t.”

“Four!”

“Ha, fat chance, Iwaizumi,” Koutarou pushed the brim of his hat up with his other hand. “This is bigger than me.”

“Three!”

“Yeah? So how about you tell me what this is about then, since I thought we were on pretty good terms this morning.”

“Two!”

Koutarou blinked at him. “Oh, I don’t have anything against you; I just have to make sure you’re good enough for my best friend.”

“What?”

“One! GO!”

Koutarou tried to slam down his arm, and immediately realized that he might be a little over his head when Iwaizumi’s arm didn’t even budge. He looked at the tanned hand in his grasp in disbelief, following the tensed forearm up to the bicep noticeably bulging under his sweater, up to the smug smile gracing his opponent’s face.

He threw his weight into his arm, alarm -and awe- spreading throughout his chest when not only did Iwaizumi’s arm barely tremble, but he started slowly forcing Koutarou’s own arm down. It was like watching it happen in a movie; he was distantly aware of the shaking in his arm, the white stress points showing where Iwaizumi and he were digging their fingers into each other, and finally, of his own hand being slammed into the gummy table with the dull _thud_ of defeat.

“Holy shit,” Kuroo whistled, finally looking up from his phone. “That lasted over a minute.”

Huh, it definitely had felt quicker than that. He blinked at Iwaizumi, eyes wide. “How did you do that? I haven’t met anyone who could beat me at arm wrestling since before middle school!”

Iwaizumi shrugged, shaking his hand out to the side. “I was the arm wrestling champ at Aoba Jousai; don’t know if there’s anyone better now, but there wasn’t as of last year.”

“That’s so cool!” Koutarou gushed, swallowing his awe with a silent gulp when Akaashi suddenly loomed over him, expression stony. “Hey, Akaashi.” He waggled his stinging fingers at him. “Iwaizumi’s really good at this, did you see?”

“We have to talk.”

“Ooh,” Kuroo whispered, unhelpfully. “You’re going to die.”

* * *

 

“Bokuto-san,” Akaashi finally sighed once they were far enough away for his liking, a little ways past the kiosk where Koutarou had challenged Iwaizumi. “What was this really about?”

“Uh,” Koutarou scratched his head under his cap sheepishly. “I was just looking out for you.”

Akaashi quirked an unimpressed eyebrow at him. “And how was challenging Iwaizumi-san to an arm wrestling contest ‘looking out for me?’”

“Needed to see if he was worthy.”

“Of _what_ , Bokuto-san?” Akaashi asked, his impatience starting to leak from his words and down into his shoulders, tensing them and turning the lines of his arms rigid. Koutarou rightly feared for his life. Akaashi could _throw_ things when he got angry enough. It was terrifying.

“Of dating you!” He blurted out, tossing his arms up in the air. “I needed to make sure that he was any good for you!”

“Wha-,”

“Because you didn’t tell me,” Koutarou was on a roll, “So I figured something must be up, you know? Because why else would you hide the fact that you’ve been dating someone from me, unless you didn’t want me to know because he sucked, but Iwaizumi obviously doesn’t suck.

“I already knew he was a chill guy, he hangs around enough for me to be able to tell that much, and he’s a lot more patient than he lets on, cause he doesn’t even shout at Kuroo and Oikawa and me too much, plus he’s actually somewhat of a challenge for Kenma in video games, which automatically makes him cool in my books, but he also treats you really good too,” Koutarou splayed his fingers in Akaashi’s direction, gesturing to everything he was carrying. “He knows your tastes, he makes you smile, and he can keep up with your appetite, which is a little scary,” He ignored the offended look he got at that, “And he’s willing to fight for you, against stuff he can see,” He gestured at himself, “And the stuff he can’t.” He reached out, gently lifting the necklace, a dream catcher with two little circles at the top, and a lot of hanging feathers at the bottom, forming the faint shape of a black-eyed, brown owl.

“So I guess I was just trying to figure out,” He continued sadly, running a thumb over one of the little eyebrow-looking feathers at the top, “Why you wouldn’t tell your best friend that you were dating such an amazing guy?”

“Bokuto-san,” Akaashi sighed again, a softer huff of air this time as he wrapped his own fingers around his on his necklace. “It’s, a little complicated.”

“Try me.” Koutarou countered just as softly.

“The thing between me and Iwaizumi-san, between me and _Hajime_ ,” Akaashi corrected himself with a little flush, “Is pretty new. We haven’t even really discussed it ourselves. He’s _not_ taking advantage of me, before you ask,” He rushed on, rolling his eyes at Koutarou’s sputter, “We’ve just never sat down and had a,” He shrugged a little helplessly, “A relationship talk, I suppose.”

“So how do you know you’re even dating?” Koutarou snapped his head around with a scowl. “Is he seeing other people?!”

“No, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi assured him with a sigh that sounded a lot like a small laugh. “Neither of us are seeing other people, just each other. Not everyone does things the way Kuroo-san and Oikawa-san do; we’re not all comfortable with long conversations about everything we’re thinking, or everything we’ve done.” Akaashi’s lips took on a funny twist as he looked back at Koutarou. “I thought that would be something you’d understand, Bokuto-san.”

Koutarou’s thoughts suddenly flashed to gold eyes and half-dyed hair, and his heart skipped a strange beat in his chest. “Uh, I guess I do, sort of?” He blinked down at Akaashi. “I just want you to be safe, you know. Safe and happy.”

“I am,” Akaashi insisted. “And Iwa- _Hajime_ , makes me really happy.”

“I can tell,” Koutarou flashed him a grin. “You smile a lot more around him. And not that smile when you get one over on someone, but the one where you get the wrinkles around your eyes.”

“I do _not_ have an eye-wrinkling smile, Bokuto-san.”

“Yeah, you kinda do, Akaashi.”

“Please stop talking,” Akaashi grumbled, looking around Koutarou with a resigned sigh. “We should get back; I think Kuroo-san just said something about his sex life. Again.”

“Right,” Koutarou winced. “Oikawa was kinda pissed when we left earlier. I may have interrupted something.”

“Of course you did,” Akaashi shot him a small smile, one of the tiny amused ones that Koutarou had come to cherish throughout the years they’d known each other. “Did you forget to knock again, Bokuto-san?”

“Maybe,” He mumbled petulantly, turning back only to be stopped by a pair of arms suddenly thrown around his neck. “Akaa-?”

“Thank you,” Akaashi whispered. “For looking out for me.”

Koutarou wrapped his arms around Akaashi, hugging him back just as tightly. “Always and forever, don’t ever forget that.”

* * *

 

“Hey!” Kuroo called as they came through the door. “We’re back!” To no one’s great surprise, Oikawa practically materialized out of thin air to throw himself at him, wrapping his legs around his waist and tossing his arms around his neck. “Hey, babe. Did you miss me?”

“Always,” Oikawa purred, and then they were kissing right in the middle of the entryway, oblivious to everyone’s groans of annoyance when they had to skirt around them to get inside.

“Every time,” Iwaizumi muttered as he stormed towards the kitchen. “Every single damn time...” Koutarou could hear his voice trailing off as he started moving things around, clanking echoing around the apartment.

“I’ll go see if he needs any help,” Akaashi offered, striding into the kitchen after Iwaizumi, the angry sounds of slamming kitchenware calming down almost immediately.

“Mm!” Koutarou felt something hit the back of his head, turning around only to see Kuroo waving one of arms at him around Oikawa’s back, the bags from it still swinging gently.

“Oh!” Koutarou reached out, slipping two of them off Kuroo’s wrist. “Right, Kenma’s stuff! Is he still here?” Oikawa managed to unstick himself from Kuroo’s mouth long enough to turn around and smile winningly at him.

“He’s in the living room. We were playing some games while we were waiting for you guys.”

“So you were losing?” Kuroo asked.

“Don’t be rude, Tetsu-chan!”

Koutarou left them behind to their bickering as he popped into the living room, smile widening when he spotted Kenma sitting cross-legged on the couch, a controller in his hands. “Hey, Kenma!”

Kenma turned his big, gold eyes towards him with a small smile. “Koutarou,” He blinked up at the top of his head. “You bought a new hat?”

“Oh, this?” Koutarou laughed as he plopped down next to the other boy, making him bounce a little. “Kuroo bought us hats as part of our disguises while we were following Iwaizumi and Akaashi around.”

“...Right.” Kenma turned back to his game, but Koutarou could still see the lingering smile through the curtain of his hair. “You look nice, though.”

Koutarou beamed. Yeah, he was pretty sure he understood Akaashi’s point a little better now. And as he watched Kenma’s eyes light up and his lips form a tiny, pleased ‘Oh’ when he gave him his strawberries, he _knew_ he did.

He could definitely get used to this.

**Author's Note:**

> Did this get longer than I had intended? Yes it did. Do I have regrets? None at all~


End file.
